Touring - Jamis Aurora as a serious tour bike

Are there any severe limitations of the Aurora that would truly hamper this bike as a dedicated touring rig. Right now my choices are down to:
Surly LHT
Jamis Aurora
Trek 520
i am really looking hard at the first two and would just like a few (more) opinions.
Grazi.
d

May wanna swap out the cassette or chainrings—one or the other, if you're heading over mountains.

Gearing might be a little too high, but any LBS can swap that out for you.

The only other thing is that the Aurora has cross brakes. That plus the STI levers might make it a little tough to use a handlebar bag.

Gearing might be a little too high, but any LBS can swap that out for you.

The only other thing is that the Aurora has cross brakes. That plus the STI levers might make it a little tough to use a handlebar bag.

Bags like the Ortlieb will work.

The only other thing is that the Aurora has cross brakes. That plus the STI levers might make it a little tough to use a handlebar bag.

Not that tough.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0826.jpg

Are there any severe limitations of the Aurora that would truly hamper this bike as a dedicated touring rig. Right now my choices are down to:
Surly LHT
Jamis Aurora
Trek 520
i am really looking hard at the first two and would just like a few (more) opinions.
Grazi.
d

If you have larger feet you might end up with heel strike issues. Hitting the rear bag on every revolution gets old very fast. The Aurora is awfully short. You can cantilever the load further off the back but that will mess with the handling.

An LHT complete is a better touring bike for about the same money.

17.35 inches is fine, what? Awfully short? I'm surprised. How long do they need to be fer crying out loud? May as well get an xtracycle.
Cross brakes? What? Nothing wrong with canti's.
STI is a selling point as I see it.

Cross brakes? What? Nothing wrong with canti's.


I think he was talking about the interupter levers it comes with, like these, not the cantis:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/images/interrupter-levers.jpg

Which I would think that it would make putting a handle bar bag on difficult.

Ah...

I gotta watch myself, I'm irritable today for some reason. My apologies folks. You'd think I'd know how to be more PC.

I have an Aurora and I like it pretty well. I did have to change the seatpost and seatpost clamp. They were both inferior quality on my '07.

Overall, it's a good value but now that I've learned more I'd build a bike up from a frame. If going retail now I'd maybe go with the LHT for it's more relaxed layout but I'd actually really look hard at Cannondale because I think the steel frames are too flexy for me. I use a trailer and it seems that loaded up it flexed the bike too much and I think the LHT would likely be the same. I'd just like a stiffer frame and I'd use my sprung Brooks saddle and steel fork to take the sting out.

17.35 inches is fine, what? Awfully short? I'm surprised. How long do they need to be fer crying out loud? May as well get an xtracycle.
Cross brakes? What? Nothing wrong with canti's.
STI is a selling point as I see it.

I've had bad experiences with short wheel base bikes and loaded touring in the past. Not just heel strike issues (and I don't have big feet;)) but handling issues on high speed downhills. The bike got very skittish and was not the most pleasant thing to ride at high speed. Longer wheelbase/chainstay bikes (>42"/17.5") handle loads with more stability and more comfort.

But you can overdo it. Xtracycles would be like riding a tandem without the rear rider. Too much tail and not enough dog for my taste;) That and Xtracycles are just goofy looking...even I have standards:D

Seeing as the Aurora's wheelbase is about 1.75" short of 42", I wonder how many folks would notice the difference. I also wonder how the difference would manifest itself UNloaded?

REI's doing 20% off for members, you could get a Randonee for 760.00

I take that back. I just measured my 1970 Raleigh and 2001 Coda, and I can feel the diff. of 1.5".

As a Aurora owner, my opinion is that your money is better spent on a LHT build.

The Aurora is a decent bike but I found myself replacing many of the stock components for more tour worthy parts.

Thanks all. i think i am going to plop my money down on the Long Haul. There are just too many positive things about that bike for the money.
Ashe.
d

If I could fit the larger size LHT with the 700c wheels, I would have considered it, but then again, those bar end shifters.... ;)

Enjoy the LHT, and enjoy touring!

the interupter levers can be rotated downwards to create enough space for bags that project outwards somewhat from the bars.

I think he was talking about the interupter levers it comes with, like these, not the cantis:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/images/interrupter-levers.jpg

Which I would think that it would make putting a handle bar bag on difficult.

Again, ortliebs will work. The mount projects 2" forward, leaving room for hands on cross levers. It is true that I have my cross break leverss (on an LHT) angled a bit more vertically than in the above picture, but I'm also using them wearing thick ski gloves right now.